New Hampshire will spend an additional $1 million to improve its suicide prevention hotline

States are expected to collect data on the nature of 988 calls and messages, including whether they involve ongoing suicide attempts and whether they result in a call to emergency responders or a referral to a mobile crisis unit. (Dave Cummings | New Hampshire Bulletin)

New Hampshire health officials are continuing to modernize the national suicide prevention hotline and have accepted federal money to improve the state’s response.

On Oct. 18, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee approved an additional $979,000 in federal funds to help with outreach for the hotline rebrand.

From July 2022, people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts can contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline for help by dialing ‘988’.

This three-digit system replaces the earlier “1-800” number. Officials with the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, hope the simpler number will reach more people and have given millions of dollars to states to advertise the new number and expand staffing and services available to callers in any state.

The number “988” is intended to complement other easy-to-remember government-managed numbers, including 911 and 211, which is a general number where people can find out about social services. 211 also connects New Hampshire residents with the Doorway program, allowing them to schedule appointments to address substance use issues.

The federal agency has allocated $3.1 million to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, and so far the state has used $1.7 million of that amount, according to a memo filed in September by New Hampshire DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver. The additional $979,000 will help the state pay for “improved data collection, monitoring and reporting,” the memo states.

According to the cooperative agreement published by the agency, SAMHSA directed states to use the money to “improve state and territory response to 988 contacts (including calls, chats and texts)” coming within the state.

That includes increasing workforce support in response to “increasing demand for 988,” better communicating with high-risk populations about the new hotline and building “post-contact support connections to services such as mobile crisis support and crisis stabilization services,” the federal agency said .

States are also expected to collect data on the nature of 988 calls and messages, including whether they relate to ongoing suicide attempts and whether they result in emergency response or referral to a mobile crisis unit. They are also asked to collect demographic information about people who called 988 – although callers do not have to provide this information to get help.

“As we continue to focus on implementing the priorities of the state’s 10-year mental health plan, 988 fits well with our goal of increasing our suicide prevention efforts and creating a mental health crisis system that is responsive, accessible and coordinated to reduce suicide rates in our state,” Weaver said statement informing about the change in 2022